It’s been a while since I’ve written anything so I thought about starting a blog series called the Paradise Chronicles, which basically entails about life in Bermuda from a locals perspective.
For those who don’t know much about Bermuda, the first thing you must know is that it’s small…tiny even, at only 21 square miles you can drive around the island 5 times in one day and still have time to spare, so over time you can run out of things to do, so we get creative.
Summer time is the best, with beach parties and raft-ups galore; which is when you attach boats to each other in the sea and have one massive boat party, BBQ’s, friendly people and drinks aplenty. It’s hard not to smile.
The island itself? Is beautiful, I’ve been to most of the North Western quarter of the world but my home remains the prettiest, can’t wait to visit Asia though, I hear it’s amazing there too, but below is a shot of the sunset a beach near my place.
Work wise? I cant hate on it at all, people here are relaxed, paychecks are big and there’s no income tax…. soo it’s a nice place to save dollaz. After living in Barcelona for University I’ve always thought of moving back, so i’ll work my ass off in real estate here for that sexy apartment in Catalunya, but until then…No worries
You never bloody where its gonna take you next…. 2 months ago i was in Bermuda with the family and basically baby-sitting full-time. Now I’m touring Spain with my new girlfriend, and have a flat in Barcelona…. unexpected but I’m not complaining.
Back with more free time on my hands and writing for Stoke Travel so life is turning down a pleasant path.. Although shit can always take a left turn I prefer to think it can last a long time, plus my lady is a dream come true so I hope it does.
I still find the whole situation to be a bit surreal, transferring from Bermuda to a dame in the sunshine and endless sex… Beats the shit out of applying for boring jobs, plus Stoke is still growing and venturing to new places like Brazil and Thailand so theres no need to jump ship.
So there’s my update, we’re off to Seville tomorrow..
Often called a bitch it’s something that takes you through so many twists and turns that you can only look back and think…
Wow
As the future is always a mystery the natural thing to do in the present (so I hope) is to try and set a platform to achieve a positive tomorrow.
Whether it be school, work, relationships or travelling exploits, everyone is going through the crazy rollercoaster we call ‘life’.
Growing up you tend to have a group of friends who you’ve known since you were in diapers. You grow up together and experience the first 16 or so years of your childhood around the same people and environment….but that’s only the beginning.
University is what separates young friends as they look to fulfil their own dreams and desires, whether it be an engineer, musician or politician… our goals are what tend to define us as people, and takes us in different directions.
You meet new people, experience new adventures and broaden your mind. Your perception on what is truly important changes as you use the opportunity to figure out who you really are.
How it is discovered depends on the person, I did by travelling, others maybe through someone they meet or a burst of inspiration.
In reality, there’s nothing anyone can do but accept life for what it is… a gift that shouldn’t be taken lightly and spent wisely.
However, we all tend to go through the same stages… with ups and downs in financial and social status but that’s all part of the learning process, which we and everyone else has gone through before.
Trying new things and discovering yourself is what sets you down a path which will define you forever…. whether it be a businessman, extensive traveller or a loving parent, life should be spent fulfilling your dreams.
Because you only have one shot at it.
So in the end…with life you can either fight her and get bitch-slapped in the face or… love her and get love back in return.
As I lay in my bed amidst passing over from full-time (to part-time) for Stoke Travel for a real-estate internship, I got to say its nice to finally get a chance to chill…
With a week to prepare the crossover and most of the Stoke crew attending to our surf camp in San Sebastian…there’s not as much to do as normal.
So with a free day to just do as I please, I’ve decided to just chill… the only thing I had to do was make a quick stop to the bank yesterday.
As I’ve lived in Barcelona for a considerable time I have no real desire to run around and see things like a tourist….
Instead I’ve spent my time doing things I haven’t had much time to do lately… research music, read a bit, and chill at one of my fav parks where I just laid under a tree… and enjoyed the sounds of my surrounding environment, to just relax.
Since I’ve left my country a year ago it’s been nothing but hectic, during this time I’ve:
Graduated from University in Barcelona
Completed a 3 month Eurotrip
Undertaken a Master’s course in London
Switched to crisis stricken Spain instantly for work
As I’ve also been Living with women, had Friends constantly visit and just been doing whatever I can to make a name for myself here…. finding a day for myself has been difficult.
Having a guilt-free wake n’ bake is so nice as well…all I have to do today is shop for some work clothes… that’ll only take me an hour or two, and shopping’s far from stressful.
Lately, life’s been moving so fast as well like last week for instance, I received a phone call for an interview which we could only set 2 hours before a boat party for Stoke…which I had to bartend.
So after impressing in the interview I had to rush to the Stoke office, quickly change my suit for short’s and flip-flops, as I had to get two trolleys worth of alcohol from the market for the party….. Then down beers during it. 😉
Often I’m hanging with Stoke employees after work where a gentle drink at the bar turns into a business meeting with someone who finds our company interesting.
I recently discovered a local girl who is buzzing to go work for us after testing out our San Fermin trip…her interview with my boss is today.
Yesterday, I received an email from someone in Granada who mentioned they had over 10 years of experience in marketing and were willing to move to Barcelona saying he would work for us. As he mentioned we’re a rapidly growing company he wanted to be a part of….. I forwarded it to my boss though as I’m in no position to make a call on that one.
Stoke is growing… and fast, during my first month here I was doing much more than I expected as offers and new parties were being established from every direction and I’d find myself doing 3 or more different sorts of tasks in one day.
From basic promoter, writer, negotiator, to an interviewer, flexibility is something you learn and absorb into your daily expectations here…it’s a great experience.
Area Casa is offering me just as much flexibility in their sales team as well, as they’re giving me a personal project to help their website for tourist (week-long stay) apartments grow with my connections and it’s SEO ratings.
But now as I breeze through music genres like reggae, jazz, House and old-school rap, it feels good to finally hot-box my room for the first time in a while…. Something a stoner appreciates.
So as I fade into the tunes I’m completing 100’s of years of Bermudian heritage were you just…. Chill.
A while back I wrote about how I moved back to Barcelona for work in order to appreciate the value of money and hard work, well I’m starting an internship next week in real estate for a company called Area Casa.
As my hours with Stoke Travel are flexible I thought I’d check for something in another industry, and real estate popped up!
This will mean I can easily pay my rent and maybe still have some left over to do some weekend trips to see friends in nearby cities.
YES!! SUCCESS!!
Living with locals is still pretty chill as we just talk about our plans, work and me being a crazy bastard that goes to run with bulls… I sensed the anticipation when I came back.
What I also respect is that we all put in an equal share to maintain the house, 10 euros each a month for cleaning utensils and we all have a common area to clean on a semi-weekly basis that rotates.
I just cleaned the kitchen actually…kind of why I’m writing this.
But as most men, cleaning is not one of my favourite things to do…so I found a way to make it fun.
I roll one, spark it…play some music, get out all the cleaning material and dance away ‘til the rooms spotless… cuz there’s no way I can do that sober without getting bored.
So… as life after University begins to flow… I got to say it feels good.
Not entirely sure about whether or not I’d be on the bus to Pamplona I was just chillin’ and makin’ some breakfast.
To receive a phone call saying,
“Randy, I remember you telling me you wanted to be on the bus, be at the stop in 2 hours.”
HELL YEA!!
Stoke put me in charge of my own drunk bus to Pamplona…and was it good!!
One guy had already passed out after having drunk a bottle of absinthe, so people drawing on him and drinking was the methods of preparation for the festival to come.
On the way I made some friends and after handing out drinks to everyone we set off to join the party. Concerts, sit-offs and bars were buzzing everywhere, as everyone wore the traditional San Fermin kit.
Sparking one in a circle we all take a few hits and move on to the massive concert metres away…swerving to the front we hear the full base behind local rock artists with the crowd going nuts.
What most people don’t know is that prior to the actual Running of the Bulls, they have an opening ceremony where the entire city gets completely fucked on an all-nighter, and those with energy remaining run in the morning.
Meeting some locals our crew gets to improve their Spanish as they learn the basics such as porro…. which means joint.
Constant rolling and drinking led to some wild dancing as some of the interns performed insane grinding sessions with locals that made half the club stop n’ stare.
After more partying my memory gets blurry but somehow we made it to the bull ring in time for the race…at 8am.
No idea how time flew so fast!!
Vaguely I recall workers setting up the borders whilst we partied and set us down a funnel for insane bar drinking. As people sit on top of the fence we grab our spot and wait for the runners.
Personally… I was too fucked to walk or see straight, let alone be chased by a horned behemoth.. but it was fun watchin it!!
Hundreds of people dash into the ring as they’re chased by 5 or 6 raging bulls and as I see a few people from my bus run in…I can’t help but feel some pride.
As the bulls throw a few drunk bastards airborne you begin to think…oh shit this can get real, but as they get up like nothing happened you just laugh and enjoy the show.
But, bulls are not meant to be fucked with!!
Getting back to the station I see people passed out on the floor in groups of 40 or more from the night and I think…damn I know I have to look after them but…. It’s worth it.
There’s one week left for this festival, and our next big one is La Tomatina (The Tomato Fight!!)
You know those moments where your looking everywhere for something just to find it in your pocket like an idiot…well I just had one, I guess the fact I’m stoned doesn’t help – cheers everyone I’m going clubbin’
San Fermin; a fucked up idea that can only be construed by a drunk and crazy bastard. What I’m referring to of course is the annual Running of the Bulls, held in Pamplona…this year from July 4th-14th.
It’s something I’ve always wanted to do… but I’ve been a crazy bastard for years so it only seems logical. Unfortunately, San Fermin has caused controversy as there are always a few deaths in relation to the event.
But if Pamplona still holds the event its fine with me…. (secret gulp over the safety of my life).
Also I’m certain the motivation of not getting crushed will inspire me to break all of Usain Bolts’ records. But I’m sure the crowds of San Fermin cheering us on will provide the necessary boost for survival.
Plus with Stoke providing a drunken bus ride all the way down there with a BBQ and more drinking once in Pamplona…I wouldn’t be sober enough to fear anything during the run anyway.
As I’ll be dashing around the corner rockin’ the San Fermin kit with a raging bull behind me… take a picture. 🙂
So hop on the Stoke bus to Pamplona!!
If you wanna ride your luck at San Fermin…feel free to join me at stoketravel.com
What would you say is the normal thing to do on the eve of a final exam? Stay in…cram your ass off and hope to Christ you remember everything when the time comes… not I on this particular night.
Summer of 2010, I spent living with McCone in Barca to write my thesis…and Bergholdt from How Men Drink said he was coming back with friends for a few days.
Misfortune meant we couldn’t meet until his last night…. which was the night before my final… yaaayyy :D.
McCone left town to be with his family, but before he left I asked to him call me at 8 tomorrow morning in case things got out of hand.
I asked the new neighbours to knock on my door as well…. to be safe.
Meeting at a sushi spot for dinner I meet everyone and we started storing up for heavy drinking later…. we decided to have a few beers there of course. 😉
After dinner he said pre-drinks were at his flat and we’ll meet in a bit… so I prep for the night and grab a near full bottle of vodka from the fridge.
When I get there and plop the bottle on the table and he looks to me and says…
“Great…. That’s your bottle.”
Huh???? All that’s already planned just for me?
I soon found out why…we played a Danish card game and I turned out to be complete shit and had to down a glass of vodka for every loss…. And I lost every time!!
I went through the vodka in 15 minutes, and it turned out I had owed a drink since the bottle ran out…thus Bergholdt instantly shared his whiskey and poured me a massive shot to down…. What a friend.
I take it like a champ and we go to the club…where he bought more Vodka bottles in VIP… mas alcohol mas!!
He bought a total of 3 bottles and as the girls quit drinking for the night it was up to us to prevent wasting.
Flirting with a hot Russian I couldn’t form a sentence…or successive steps. Yet somehow I managed to get home…can’t remember how though.
Anyways… McCone called me at 8am like I asked, and I woke up, face planted on the floor….and then passed out. The neighbours then knocked, I thought it was a dream…eventually 30 minutes after my exam started my University calls me.
“Where are you?” they ask.
My response…..”Meh”
Eventually I gather myself and managed to make it to the exam near passing out. My professors instantly noticed my condition and asked if I went out last night.
“Yup”
He smirks and just points me to my seat so I can make up for lost time.
I scored an A-, now that’s how to study for an exam 😉
Sitting in my boiling hot room as Spanish temperatures have been blistering lately… I just thought I’d light one, play some music and write a bit.
Working in a country that is suffering from a banking crisis has been quite the challenge. Roughly 50% of young people here are out of work, and the fact I managed to find a job is something that still bewilders me.
It’s not as though the Spanish don’t want to work…it’s just that there is no work. Protests are held in the streets on a regular basis due to that, although tourism and the nightlife are basically carrying this city afloat at the moment…things have to change… and soon.
The threat of complete economic failure hasn’t scared me even remotely though… although I just plan on being here for the summer. I guess I really came here to in order to appreciate the value of money and struggles of life.
In Bermuda the GDP is abnormally high, and the average working person is paid between US$500 and US$1500 a week, so you never really understand life without money…. until you try to buy real estate.
As I’m always looking for a challenge rather than something boring and predictable I decided to work in Barca… and honestly I find trying to survive here a thrill.
Like I said in ‘Who I am’ some people have described me to be random.
Sharing an apartment with locals has been such a good experience as well… and very different as I’m the only straight person in a house with 2 girls and one other guy.
So whenever La selección (Spanish futbol team) play in the Euros – we’re in the final tomorrow Viva España!!! – I’m watching it with the girls instead of the guys…it’s a funny twist because she knows even more about football tactics than I do sometimes.
They definitely cook more than anyone else I’ve ever lived with…and quality meals too…with a vast array oils and spices every time I cook… I experiment. As a stoner, I love food… due to munchies… and since my mother taught me how to cook as soon as I was able to walk…I’m fuckin lovin it.
Making pastas, hot sandwiches, salads and roasts I’m finding myself preferring to cook at home. It’s cheaper, it’s healthier…. But damn I just love food and that kitchens my lab.
Managing money has been a challenge as well, often I leave 2 of my cards at home to prevent overspending and rely on the cash I have for a night out. It’s smart as well since pickpockets are everywhere in this city.
It’s fucking working too…I’m definitely not buying bottles in a club… but I’m living a damn good bar life. Making connections with bartenders you often get discounts or free shots.
So as I begin my working life in extreme conditions…I just wanna say it beats the shit out of studying for exams.
Now as my munchies have kicked in….I’m gonna make a meal 😉
manolosway 